● New survey shows that over 60% of runners report that music helps them run faster and longer

● Spotify Running users covered 55 million kilo meters in the past seven months, equal to running around the world 1,386 times

Spotify reveals the world’s most-streamed running songs of 2015. “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce led the pack, followed closely with “Chandelier” by Sia and “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson. In fact, 7 of the 10 top tracks come from female artists, ranging from current chart toppers to Missy Elliott and TLC.

If your New Year’s resolution is to get in shape, music may be key to sticking to your goals. A new study commissioned by Spotify** reveals that over 60% of runners report that music helps them run faster andlonger -- more helpful than a workout buddy, trainer, good weather, or the latest workout gear.

According to the study, over three-quarters of runners rely on music for their workouts, with 88% of those runners reporting that music is important or vital to their run. Additional benefits include:

● Almost half (45%) of runners report that a great soundtrack is the best way to get through the troublesome “runner's low”

● Music is cited as the top training tool for races of all lengths -- from a 5K run to a marathon

Despite music’s significance to runners, pain points still exist for runners looking for the perfect soundtrack: top-cited annoyances include music stopping in the middle of a run (38%), song tempo that is too fast or too slow (36%), and playlist boredom (30%).

One way to cure these common ills is Spotify Running - just start running and the app’s sensor will calculate your pace, serving up a non-stop mix of tracks that match your tempo and musical taste. Since launching in May, Spotify Running users have listened to over 5 million hours of music and covered over 34.5 million miles - the equivalent of running around the world 1,386 times.

And if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to check out Spotify Running Originals from Tiêsto, Ellie Goulding and Oliver Heldens. These exclusive tracks are designed specifically for running and can be adjusted to match your tempo - perfect for runners of all speeds.

** Survey polled over 1,500 runners in the US and UK in December 2015.